Mystery Science Theater 3000 vs. Gamera: Round 2

While we all eagerly await for Godzilla vs Kong this coming Wednesday, I would like to share something humorous and offbeat in a turtle shell to help ease your kaiju cravings if at all possible.

Back in 2019, me and my friends wrote, filmed, preformed, and produced a fan-made series entitled MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER VS GAMERA: ROUND II, featuring the two-of-three older era Gamera films that were never featured on the cult comedy series. Here's the very first entry featuring GAMERA vs. VIRAS (1968).

Here is the second episode, featuring GAMERA vs. JIGER (1970), my personal favorite of the two produced thus far.

In the wake of the 2020 pandemic, production for episode three centered around GAMERA: SUPER MONSTER (1981) has been slow-downed: the safety and well-being of the crew (my friends and I) is the absolute priority and, in the interest of social distancing, at this time we're unable to begin filming.

However pre-production has wrapped and we will continue as scheduled as soon as it is deemed safest for all to do so later in 2021. 

We're all putting this time to use, sets and costumes have been retrofitted, several new physical models and props are being constructed, and higher quality filming/lighting equipment has been invested in to make the presentation of our Super Monster fan-episode (and potentially future ones) much better.

The Bizarre and Tragic World of Fake Psychics

One of the true benefits of being a skeptic against the so-called paranormal is to call out opportunistic crooks, grifters, and villains on their cruel con jobs. Sadly, the psychic industry continues to benefit upon the gullible and often with disastrous, sometimes tragic, results.

The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters.

This informative video from the channel Super Eyepatch Wolf goes into greater detail.

Direct Link: https://youtu.be/qFyCJU3AFSA

Kaiju Gallery: Lygon from Giant Robo

Nothing too spectacular for today, just another image gallery based around one of my many, many, MANY favorite giant monsters from Japanese fiction. The header illustration, by-the-by, was drawn by yours truly.

From the 1967-1968 series Giant Robo comes Lygon, a giant Egyptian-style android statue monster built and operated by the intergalactic criminal organization known as Big Fire, or The Gargoyle Gang as they were renamed in The American International Pictures dubbed version, Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot.

Similarly, Lygon was renamed Ligon-Tyrox for said American broadcast. 

Lygon appears in episodes 4 (Monster Ligon-Tyrox, A Strange Monster) and 10 (The Transformed Humans) and is probably my top favorite monster from the whole series as Egyptian-themed monsters are always cool which Japanese fiction seems to have an abundance of while android monsters, giant robots made to look like living breathing beasts as opposed to more obvious machine-based ones and temporary disguises (see Fake Godzilla), are a rare sub-genre that's barley been played around with.

Lygon perfectly captures the fun aspects of both creature motifs / sub-genres in-my-opinion while also being a real bruiser when in combat against the titular Giant Robo despite his virtually thin and tall feline frame.

Plus, the guy fights with an optional drill horn and a gold metal chain! How ridiculously cool is that!?!?

The following set of screenshots were taken from a very old Angelfire (Tripod?) web-site and slightly cleaned up by yours truly, again. Unfortunately, I've long lost the link and cannot give adequate credit to the screen-captures' originator. Apologizes in advance to you, good sir.

RELATED LINK: Lygon's Page on Tokupedia

Godzilla: Singular Point, First Episode Impressions

Thanks to the magic of the mighty Surfing Shark of V.P.N., I was able to view the first episode of GODZILLA: SINGULAR POINT which is being released on Netflix Japan on a weekly basis instead of a full season drop (still no word of an international release date though one is still coming this year).

Similar to the first act of "Gamera: Guardian of the Universe" (1995), the first episode is a slow burn building up the mystery behind a missing scientist and a haunting 1930s love song that's somehow being used to summon and/or resurrect the ancient monsters, with the 'Rodan the First' only appearing in the closing minutes to menace our heroes (as seen in the Toho Animation video clip released recently online).

I'd go more into the plot but, unfortunately, no English subtitles were available to me. However, unlike other untranslated kaiju media heavy on dialog, the human cast instantly made an impression with their appealing character designs alongside quirky personality moments and related visual gags, all of which kept my interest. 

In addition to the previously mentioned "Gamera" comparisons, the first episode's atmospheres and the near future world presented within was also reminiscent of "Ultra Q" and early Showa-era science fiction films like "The Mysterians" (1957), "The H-Man" (1958), and "Rodan" (1956): a virtually quiet, normal world on the eve of a monstrous cataclysm or an otherworldly event.

The twist was that Godzilla was dead all along!